Love Stinks: Corpse Flower Blooming at the SFSU Greenhouse

The SFSU Greenhouse’s corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is blooming today, and visitors are already lining up to see — and smell — one of the rarest events in the plant world.

Native to the rainforests of Sumatra, the corpse flower produces the largest unbranched flowering structure on Earth, often growing 6 to 10 feet tall. What looks like a single giant flower is actually many small flowers packed tightly at the base of a tall central spike (the spadix), wrapped in a deep burgundy leaf-like structure called a spathe.

At peak bloom, the plant releases a strong odor similar to rotting flesh. In the wild, that smell attracts beetles and flies that normally feed and lay eggs on carrion. The central spike also warms up during bloom, which helps carry the scent through the forest understory. The entire display lasts only 24 to 48 hours.

Between blooms, the plant spends years building up energy in a massive underground corm. When it’s not flowering, it produces a single large leaf that can resemble a small tree. A bloom like this represents a huge investment of stored energy — which is why it doesn’t happen often.

While the corpse flower draws crowds because of its size and smell, it also tells a bigger story. In its native habitat, rainforest loss and land-use change threaten many plant species, including Amorphophallus titanum.

Living collections at universities and botanical institutions help preserve plant diversity, support research, and give students hands-on experience working with rare species. Events like today’s bloom create a rare opportunity to connect people directly with the importance of plant conservation.

Located just north of Hensill Hall, the SFSU Greenhouse is a modern, computer-controlled facility made up of twelve independently controlled rooms. These spaces allow faculty and students to grow plants under different climate conditions — from humid tropical environments to dry desert systems. The facility supports courses, student research projects, faculty experiments, and community engagement throughout the year.

The greenhouse includes three primary collections rooms:

• A Cool Humid Room with tropical and subtropical species
• A Warm Humid Room with equatorial plants
• An Arid Room featuring cacti and other drought-adapted species

The greenhouse maintains hundreds of plant species, including rare and endangered plants from California and around the world. It supports undergraduate and graduate courses, faculty research, and student training across biology and environmental science. Students work directly with living plants, design experiments, and study topics ranging from pollination and plant development to water use and climate response. The greenhouse serves as both a teaching space and a research hub.

The greenhouse supports studies in pollination biology, plant–animal interactions, development and morphology, ecophysiology, and global change. Faculty research connects greenhouse experimentation with fieldwork and collections in the Harry D. Thiers Herbarium, expanding opportunities for student training across plant and fungal biodiversity.

Students work directly with living specimens, design experiments, collect physiological data, and develop skills essential for careers in research, conservation, and environmental science.

Today’s bloom offers a vivid example of how living collections bridge public engagement and scientific inquiry. While the corpse flower captures attention with its scale and scent, it also reflects the greenhouse’s broader mission: to cultivate, teach, and share knowledge of living plant diversity.

Throughout the bloom, students, families, alumni, and community members gather to experience the rare event. Many share photos and reactions online, helping expand awareness of plant diversity and conservation beyond campus. Visitors can follow and tag @friends_of_sfsu_greenhouse and @sfstatebio for live updates, behind-the-scenes content, and future greenhouse events.

The bloom will fade within days, but the work behind it continues year-round. From conservation and research to student training and public outreach, the SFSU Greenhouse remains a living center for plant science on campus.

For viewing hours and event details, visit the event page.